All kinds of records tumbled, and averages were up at the last three Bloodstock SA live auction sales, with headlines highlighting ‘high prices,’ a ‘powerful buying bench,’ and a ‘buoyant, enthusiastic market’.
The 2024 National Yearling Sale achieved an astonishing aggregate of R200 million.
Lot 224 Unnamed (c) by Soqrat ex Mohallela – secured by Spies Racing (Pic – 4Racing)
July’s KZN Yearling Sale saw an impressive hike in the average price to R214,698 per lot, while last week’s National Two-Year-Old Sale also recorded a significant increase in the average price per lot, rising from R244,631 to R281,912.
While healthy sales figures signal positive industry momentum, last week’s major buyers made it tough for smaller investors and stables to compete in the auction ring.
One Cape trainer described the prices as ‘insane,’ while a KZN trainer, who had shortlisted seven lots and typically secures at least one, found himself empty-handed this time.
Michael Holmes, CEO of Bloodstock SA, encouraged those who missed the boat to get involved via racing syndicates.
He said: “Syndication is the best way for individuals from all walks of life to obtain shares in horses. This is why the concept is popular around the world and has been catching on here in recent years. There have been Kentucky Derby winners with dozens of small owners in their ownership syndicates.”
Following up on lots passed as ‘unsold’, offers another potential avenue, though it can be a more complex exercise that carries no guarantee of success. Breeders often negotiate post-sale deals directly on the sales grounds to avoid the hassle of transporting horses back to their farms.
Tracking down those horses that slip through the cracks requires initiative and persistence, possibly involving several phone calls. However, you might find well-bred, unclaimed ‘babies’ at stud farms awaiting new owners.
Some breeders also offer lease deals, but these are typically on a first-come, first-served basis and also require a bit of luck.
There were a number of smaller yards that managed to ‘pinch’ a few two-year-olds from under the noses of the powerful players. There are shares available in young thoroughbreds bought from this most recent sale and other sales, as detailed below.
Packages are customised by their respective trainers to suit budgets, and owners new to the sport are welcome to get in touch.
Randjesfontein-based Corne Spies secured seven lots and said: “We had a terrific sale, things just fell into place and our bids landed, we got what we wanted.” Spies, his father Tobie and son Xander use a points system to select potential purchases and, with consistent success, they’ve never changed or tweaked their methods. They have shares available in Lot 224, a Sandown-bred colt by Soqrat and Lot 332, a Rafeef colt from Winterbach Stud.
Spies said: “The Soqrat colt is a super specimen. His coat was all hairy and I thought we’d buy him for a small amount of money, but others obviously saw his potential and he went for R325,000. Still, it was money well spent, and I think he won’t take long in coming to hand. He’s a half-brother to Mike de Kock’s runners Arividicio and Beamonesque. The Rafeef filly is a big girl , like our William Robertson, with lots of scope. She is a half-sister to Val D’Orcia, who was very fast and won the Gr2 Post Merchants.”
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